Bing Crosby, byname of Harry Lillis Crosby (born May 3, 1903, Tacoma, Wash., U.S.—died Oct. 14, 1977, near Madrid, Spain) American singer, actor, and songwriter who achieved great popularity in radio, recordings, and motion pictures. He became the archetypal crooner of a period when the advent of radio broadcasting and talking pictures and the refinement of sound-recording techniques made the climate ideal for the rise of such a figure. His casual stage manner and mellow, relaxed singing style influenced two generations of pop singers and made him the most successful entertainer of his day.

Bing Crosby

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Crosby began to sing and to play the drums while studying law at Spokane, Wash. After a period spent singing with the Paul Whiteman orchestra in 1927, he appeared in the early sound filmKing of Jazz (1931). Crosby became a star after getting his own program on the CBS radio station in New York City in 1932. He began appearing in more films, and by the late 1930s his records were selling millions of copies. His songwriting activities included part-authorship of “A Ghost of a Chance” and “Where the Blue of the Night” (his radio theme song). His recording of “White Christmas” became one of the most popular songs of the century, exceeded in record sales only by his “Silent Night.” In the 1940s he was the star of a popular radio variety show. Crosby won an Academy Award for best actor for his portrayal of Father O’Malley in the film Going My Way (1944).

Crosby’s career took a new turn to comedy in the series of seven “Road” films in which he appeared with Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour, beginning with Road to Singapore (1940). His other films include The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945), White Christmas (1954), and The Country Girl (1954). His autobiography, Call Me Lucky, appeared in 1953. Crosby ran a successful television production company in the 1960s. An astute businessman, he amassed one of the largest fortunes in Hollywood from his earnings as an entertainer and from shrewd investments. By the mid-1970s, 400 million copies of his records had been sold. He was a notable sportsman and died of a heart attack while on a golf course.

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...or more. Much of what was on radio in 1948 seemed, if not stale, then very familiar. Television was soon offering exciting new stars such as comedians Milton Berle and Sid Caesar. Furthermore, after Bing Crosby began prerecording his Philco Radio Time show in October 1946, other programs followed suit; instead of being aired live, more and more programs were transcribed. As a...

...find his greatest radio success until he took over as host of The Kraft Music Hall from October 1947 through May 1949. That series, however, is indelibly associated with Bing Crosby, who hosted it for a decade beginning in 1936. Crosby had already become a top star of recordings and had made several successful movies, but his weekly visits into America’s homes via...

...his first film for the studio, Going My Way (1944), was a success. The shamelessly sentimental yarn—from McCarey’s own story—centres on Father Chuck O’Malley (Bing Crosby), a priest whose unorthodox methods initially earn the ire of a superior (Barry Fitzgerald). Going My Way was the biggest hit of 1944, and it nearly swept the...

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(1903-77). The most successful entertainer in the early years of radio and talking motion pictures was the U.S. singer, actor, and songwriter Bing Crosby. His casual stage manner and mellow, relaxed singing style influenced two generations of pop singers.